Police today arrested and tortured a journalist while chasing stone throwing youth here in North Kashmir Bandipora District.
The incident was repeated barely one week after a photojournalist of Indian Express was assault by police. Owais Farooqi a journalist and reporter who works for English Daily Kashmir Reader was arrested by police while performing his professional duties in Gulshan Chowk area of Bandipora.
However he was later released in injured condition and was admitted in hospital.
He was severely tortured besides showing his identity inside police station. Even a lower rung police officer threatened him of third degree torture when he justified his presence on the spot.
Witnesses said that a group of policemen were chasing stone throwing youth in main chowk, when the fled police bundled reporter in the vehicle.
“Though reporter showed his identity and pleaded before police but he was taken to police station”
Reporter Owais Farooqi told Kashmir Scenario that he was performing his professional duties when a group of youth engaged police in stone pelting in main Bandipora Chowk.
” I was reporting the event as police start chasing,angry on fleeing youth police dragged and bundled me in the vehicle till I was put in the lockup” Owais said.
“They start beating me from market till I was put inside custody even they threatened me third degree tortured”Witness said.
Owais said lower rung officer with name plate Ali Mohammad and Shameem Ahmed a PSO who was handling video cam dragged me and slapped me.
I was astonished to see police men getting more angry I was showed my identity, He said, adding “Instead of allowing to perform my professional duties i was arrested and tortured badly”
Owais said that police inside police station didn’t care besides witnessing me bleeding massively, they later get a medico after me repeated pleas.
Terming the incident as case of misidentifying Later police apologise and assured action against accused policemen.
Senior Superintendent of police Bandipora Shabir Chowdary apologized and said that accused policemen will be punished.